Call for DEC Inclusion, Equity, & Social Justice (IESJ) Committee Members

The DEC Inclusion, Equity, & Social Justice (IESJ) Committee is recruiting. Join like-minded DEC members charged with supporting inclusion, equity, and social justice (IESJ) work. Members are recruited through an application process. Members representative of the diversity of DEC’s membership, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and disability, are encouraged to apply. Further, we seek applicants who represent all member categories (e.g., practitioners, families, higher education faculty, etc.) with varied experiences from a variety of organizations (e.g., B-3 agencies, public and private schools, universities).

About the Call for New Inclusion, Equity, & Social Justice (IESJ) Committee Members

IESJ is seeking committee members. Members will serve a 2-year term with optional, automatically approved 3rd-year renewal. If a member chooses to renew their term after serving their first two years, they need only to notify the sitting committee chair(s). After serving a 2-3 year term, they may reapply for an appointment in an open call for members.

The charge of the DEC Inclusion, Equity, & Social Justice Committee is to support DEC’s priority to create an inclusive, equitable, and just environment for all individuals associated with DEC to include members and partners. The IESJ Committee was created to ensure that all early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) professionals, families, and children from diverse identities, backgrounds, lifestyles, values, and beliefs are included in the events, policies, recommendations, and practices put forth by DEC. The IESJ committee supports DEC’s overall inclusion, equity, & social justice priorities and policies. The committee seeks individuals willing to center racial equity, fight against ableism, and represent diverse identities.

What is a DEC Committee?

Committees work under the Executive Office to carry out the formal work of DEC.

• The DEC IESJ Committee functions as a necessary and significant arm of the DEC Executive Office. DEC’s Committees are officially recognized bodies of DEC members supported by the DEC Executive Office and are liaised by the DEC Executive Board members. Committees reflect the formal positions of DEC and participate in developing, maintaining, and evolving strategies and initiatives that are critical and central to supporting DEC’s mission and beliefs.

• The DEC IESJ Committee is a volunteer body comprised of DEC members in good standing. These individuals serve the purpose of providing strategic direction and proposed recommendations for DEC’s inclusion, equity, and social justice priorities.

• Members of the IESJ Committee are not considered members of the DEC Executive Board, and all IESJ Committee members must be DEC Members in good standing.

When can I join the IESJ Committee? When will I know if I am selected?

This committee has established an Annual Consideration Procedure. Applications are due on Monday, May 15th, 2023, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Complete the application here.

Applicants will receive notification by the second week of June 2023. The new members will start their terms on July 1st, 2023. DEC encourages all members to apply – we welcome graduate students, practitioners, family members, and higher education faculty!

Questions? Please contact the IESJ Committee Tri-chairs:

Courtney O’Grady, ceogrady3@ua.edu

Megan Vihn, megan.vihn@unc.edu

Ruby Batz, rbatzherrera@unr.edu